Pneumatic dilator.



Patented Oct. 29, 1918.y

2 SHEETS-$HEET l.

MQW m A TTOHNEYS J. T. LANDIS.

PNEUMATIC DILATOR.

APPLICATION man JULY |917y WM on mmz m ohm m E V Zw NJ t w8. www. m t2Filmed.,

JOHN T. LANDIS, F NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE.

rune-Mario invitaron.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented (let. 29, MMS.

Application filed July 7, 1917. Serial No. 179,184.

To all whom t may concern:

Be. it known that l, donn T. Lunnis a citizen or" the United States, anda resident of lashif'ille, in the county of Davidsonand State ofTennessee, have invented certain new and useful improvements inPneumatic Dilators, oit which the following is a specifi- 'Cation i Myinvention is an improvement in pneumatic dilators, and has for itsobject to provide a -dilator of the character speciiied,` formaintaining and restoring the elasticity and pliability of the rectalmuscles, when, from indifference and inatteution to natures pro- 'f ion,they have become weakened and prolapsed, and to correct construction.

ln the drawings: f

Figure l is a side view of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectionwith the valve stein tube and thedetachably connected air hose in place; Y

Fig. 3 is a'longitudinal section ot the valve stein tube; i

Fig. 4L is a longitudinal section of one em bodiment of the base;

Fig. 5 is a bottoni plan view of the same;

Fig. G is a detail section showing the mounting oiI1 the nut;

Fig. is a longitudinal section ot another embodiment, 'with the valvestein tube in place;

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal section ot 'thc valve stem tube;

Fig.. 9 a transverse section of another embodiment ot the base;

10 is a longitudinal section oi' another embodiment of the tube; and

Fig. l1 is a section along the line ll--l'l ot' l0.

in the embodiment of the invention shown in Figsl to 5, theinstrumentcomprises a hollow stem l and a hollow head 2,`compris ing thedilating tube, and a detachable base 3, all 01' theparts, except thebase which is preferably of metal, being of rubber; the stem and hea-dbeing of sott rubber so that theyY may be easily pressed into the rectumand expanded, as shown. The dilator tube is detachable, and is intendedto be furnished in interchangeable sizes. The head is pointed at the endremote from the stem, as indicated at 2a, andan annular externalshoulder is provided between the head and stem. The lower end of thestem is flaring or funnel shaped as shown at 5, and the inner face ofthis Haring portion is provided with a nut 6.

rlhis nut has a marginal rib 7 at its upper inner end, which isvulcanized within the annular groove 8, in vthe flaring portion ot thestem, or it may detachably rest on top of the annular inwardlyprojecting rib or shelf E24, in wl ich latter crise the projectingribconiing` under the nuts margin and on top of the base is firmly heldtherebetween by the action of the external threads on the valve stemwhen the latter is screwed tightly into the nut. The valve stem tubethus serves the purpose of conducting air or other `fluids into thedilator stem, and serves also the purpose of connecting the dilaterstein to the base.

The base 3., which may or may not he pliable, is provided with a centralopening l0, which is encircled on its upper surface by an annular rib11. The upper portion of the opening' is cylindrical to lit about thenut. The end of the nipple or extension bears agains the iiange 7 andthe i'lariug portion of the opening` 10 is designed for a purpose to bedescribed, and at its margin the base has a reinforcing` rib 12 on itsunder face. The iiaring portion 5 of the stem `lits closely down aroundthe nipple ll and abuts at its lower end the upper face of the base.rllhe nut, as shown in Fig'. 6, is to be vulcanized within the flaringendof the stem. rllhe valve stein tube shown in VFigs. :2 and 3 is usedto dilate the dilator in connection with a tube tor air or other Huid.rllhis valve stem tube has a head la at its upper end and has radialopenings below the head.

rlhe valve stemv tube is of a length to extend through the base to wellwithin the head, and at its lower end it is enlarged and internallythreaded, as shown at 16, to receive a valveplunger and the hoseconnection 17 from a suitable source ot' fluid under pressure, as from apump or receptacle.

rllhe large portion is externally threaded as indicated at 18, to engagethe nut, and at the extremity ot the lower end there is provided aVradial knurled rib 19 for convenience in turning the valve stem tubeinto and out oi engagement with the nut. Just above the knurled portionof the valve stein tube is a tapered portion fitting within the taperedportion of the opening l0 of the base, and a packing ring or gasket 20is arranged upon this tapering portion for preventing leakage betweenthe valve stem and nut.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9, the stein2l of the head y the rectum may be massaged by expandingA Q2 is shapedlike that of Fig. 2, and in the -flaring portion 23 there is provided anan-V nular inwardly projecting rib or shelf 24 on which the nut 9.5rests. The peripheral surface of the nut is tapered to [it the ilaringportion 23 oi the stem, and the base 2G `has a central tapering opening`27, the small end of the opening registering with the nut. In thisconstruction the nut is vulcanized en the under side of the rubberinwardly projecting shoulder of the expander tube, and the flaringportion 230i the stem its against the base outside of the nut. The valvestem tube 28 is similar to the valve stem tube of Fig. 3, having theannular radial rib 29 and the external threaded portion for engaging thenut. Between the rib and the threaded portion the valve stem tube isconical or tapered as indicated at 3l to lit the opening 27 oi the base.

ln Figs. l() and 1l is shown means in connectien with the dilater 32 forpreventing longitudinal expansion of the dilater. The said meanscomprises flexible threads 33 which extend from one side oi the liar-ingportion ot' the stem to the other, in the material oi' the dilater, thefull length oi the stem and head. These threads may be intermediate theinner and outer surfaces of the dilater, or they may be inlaidexternally or internally. In the construction of Fig. 10, a ledge 2a isprovided for receiving the nut shown in Fig. 2.

ln operation, the dilater is introduced by inserting the valve stem tubein the dilater,

after which the dilater may be inserted inthe rectum, the valve stemtube forming a support for such insertion. A hose 17 is connected withthe valve stem tube 16, and fiuid under pressure is admitted to thedilater, expanding the same. The walls of the dilater and permitting itte contract. The threads prevent elongation of the dilater, causing thesame, in fact, to slierten when it is expanded.

rlhe base of the dilaterl may be of hard rubber, densely compoundedseitt rubber, or metal, and the valve stem tube is of metal. The normalsize of the dilater, of which there may be diiferent sizedinterchangeable stems, is such as will permit it to enter withoutdiscomfort, and the muscles are gently and evenly expanded withoutbruising, as in the case of other dilaters which eil'ect dilation ot the`parts by means of the size of the dilater, the size having to be largerthan the censtricted muscular orifice.

lt will be noticed that the base is deep enough to cover the lower endof the'valve vstem tube so as to protect it from injury by the wearerwhen sitting down. rlhe head, when im use, extends above the internalsphincter muscle, and under the air pressureV the head swellsproportionally with the stem, surrounded as the latter is by themuscles. The head rests upon the upper sphincter muscle and anchors theinstrument in place, the base being drawn up snugly by this actionagainst the body. .The dilater may be worn while the user attends te hisusual duties, thus permitting treatment to be carried on withoutintermission.

It will be understood that there are three embodiments of the inventionshown, namely, that as seen assembled in Fig. Q, wherein the nut isvulcanized in the annulaigroove 8. This assemblage is made up of theparts shown in Figs. 2, 3, a and 6. Seeond, the construction shownassembled in Fig. 7, wherein the nut is vulcanized te the -end portionof an inwardly projecting shoulder, and this embodiment comprises theparts shown in Figs. 7,V 8 and 9. Third, the construction comprising theparts shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 10, wherein the nut detachably rests uponthe inwardly projecting rib.

I claim: i

l. A device of the cha 'acter specified, comprising a soft flexibleelastic stem having at one end a head, a base having a nipple engagingwithin the stem, a rigid tube for conducting air to the stem and forsupporting the same during insertion, and a nut connected `with the stemfor engagement by the tube, the tube having means for engaging` the baseto hold it te the stem.

2. A device of the character specified, comprising a soft iexible rubb rstem having` at one end a hea-d, a base at the other end, a rigidair-conducting tube for supporting the stem during insertion Vand forsupplying air to expand the same, means connected with t-he stem forengagement by the said tube 'te held the same in place, the tube havingmeans for engaging the base to hold it to the stem, the stem and headhaving threads extending longitudinally thereof and inlaid in thematerial thereof.

3. A device of the character specified, comprising a soft iiexiblerubber stem having at one end a head, a base at the other end of thestem, and a rigid air conducting tube for supporting the stem duringinsertion and for supplying air to expand the same, and means connectedwith the stem for engagement by the tube te hold the same in place. saidtube having means tor engaging the base to held it to the stein.

JOHN T. LANDS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained f or ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner ci atents,

Washngtomll.

